


Other Side of Paradise

by Girlaremo



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Beau Kogane, But not enough closure, F/M, Hey how about some feels, Kinda biblical themes here, Krolia gets some closure, Lots of Heartbreak, Multi, That's some shit right there, Voltron, hahaha, no betas we die like men, vld, voltron fam
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-18 16:03:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17584013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girlaremo/pseuds/Girlaremo
Summary: It was like nothing they'd ever seen before.  A collection of races, cultures and plants that had been long dead for eons.  A time capsule that spanned over eons, created long before they were but sparks in the universe.When the Blade of Marmora finds the 'Ark of Paradise', their objective is to investigate.  Little did they know their investigation quickly becomes a rescue mission with familiar faces muddled in with the lost refugees. Some are shadows in the memories of those they knew, but others...Others are a bit closer, yet farther from home than they ever expected.





	1. Chapter 1

 P.R.O.L.O.G.U.E.  

Smoke and Coffee

 

The aroma of coffee; deep, dark and slightly acidic, along with the robust and almost earthy smell of toast, just a little too kissed by the toaster for a child, but not too charred enough for himself.  According to his son, it was a cereal kind of day anyways, and there were a pair of mismatched socked feet swinging under the table as he looked over the headlines of the newspapers.  Nothing new, good weather...but, bush fires were bound to start up at some time this month.  It was getting dry as it was.   

The slight hum of the thermostat, and the absent mumbling of Sesame Street on the television gave him time to think, thoughts spurred along by the occasional clink of a spoon to a glass bowl.  He was about halfway deep into an article detailing missing persons cases when he finally looked up and folded over the paper with a quizzical expression.  "Did you put your pants on right?"

 

The smaller being shrugged with a spoonful of crunch berries in his mouth.  "They're on, aren't they?"

 

"Keith, buddy."  Beau sighed, shaking his head with a small smile.  "It don't work like that."  Creasing the pages with a couple other folds, the elder of the two picked up his coffee and took a sip, arching a brow at the child's shirt.  "I watched you pull that out of the clothes pile.  No T-Rex shirt today.  It's dirty."

 

Mornings went like this.  Sometimes they were a little more violent when Keith didn't want to get out of bed, or maybe it was a Saturday morning where Keith would try and open up Beau's eyelids to try and wake him up.  As jarring as it was, he was lucky it didn't happen all the time.  Perhaps once or twice a week.  

 

With a couple changed socks, some turned-round shorts and a clean shirt, the bright yellow school bus finally rolled up to their little road, red backpack and light up shoes concealed within the folding doors and countless other kids on the bus.  

 

There wasn't any point in going out and doing anything today besides work on his truck and make sure the bike was working properly.  After all, it was the dry season.  There'd be trenches to dig and fires to put out sooner or later.  It would all come around again, and bite him.  Maybe if he got home in time, he could order a pizza and be there when Keith got back.  One could only hope.

 

It came in about one in the afternoon.  The call to arms, the signal, the distress call.  "... blaze on South Davis Street in the town of Krubel.  Calling all units to respond, repeat: Calling all units to respond."  It'd take five minutes to get to the station and another four to get his gear on and get out.  Maybe less if he turned on the lights on his bike.   

 

Just like fires, though, life was unpredictable.  Endless possibilities and multiple realities all waiting to happen at once.  Like gumballs in a crank machine: nobody knows what they'll get until they turn the key.

 

O.N.E.

The Ark

 

Krolia couldn't quite understand how anyone had overlooked such a thing.  It was one thing to lose a Galra-operated base between the magnetic fields of three planets, but something like this?  In the middle of an open field?  That was impossible.  Something this size would be noticed almost immediately.  At least, that's what she thought when she saw it.  There had been a report about a strange craft that was looming about, moving quite slowly through one quadrant and into another.  Sightings had been reported before in other places, but nobody had really said anything about it.  The Galra troops during the war, they didn't pay any mind to it.  Nothing showed up in their logs.   It was, in one word, strange. 

 

"How big do you think this is?  It's got to be bigger than an Empire cruiser."  Oin had been looking into the strange craft for months now, having found it himself.  Krolia usually knew when he was working on this mission when his pupils dilated, much like the felines of Earth.  Then again, he looked like one of the hairless ones...if they had been mottled purple colors instead of flesh and grey.  "Perhaps the size of Atlas?"

"I wouldn't be surprised.  I can hardly see the end of it at this angle."   It'd been months since she had been on a mission with another person.  For now, she had been doing relief work on other planets, relocating refugees, and taking care of those less fortunate.  The number of Blade members had exploded, giving them more hands than they knew what to do with.  This mission...was a sort of release.  Her curiosity was piqued, and even she had some sort of curiosity and spark that made her want to explore this mysterious ship.  "I can't see any obvious openings...Have you tried opening a hailing frequency?"

"I've tried the normal ones that the Galra used, Alteans, the Common channel..."  Oin sighed, tapping through different settings, trying to get an answer from the ship.  Looking out the small cruiser's window, the craft itself almost looked like a void.  The only way they had actually seen it properly was if there was an external light source shone upon it.  Different chameleon circuits reflected on the exterior, giving away its position.  "I don't want to blow a hole in it, but I want to know what's inside."

 

"We'll get in, don't worry about it.  There's got to be a shaft or something we can dock on."  Moving the cruiser forward, she moved so that the soft glow they emitted shone against the ship.  Ridges and different structures were revealed, whizzing past as they moved down the length.  Scanning over, there still didn't seem to be much to see.  Curling around the back, there were what she thought were thrusters, glowing a dim blue as they idled.  The ship seemed to run on crystals, just like most other crafts.  

 

"If this is the back, maybe we can find something in the front?"  Tapping through frequencies still, the cruiser came alive with someone's voice, speaking though there hadn't been any prompt. 

 

"Ark of Paradise paging drones.  Return to Ark.  Ark of Paradise, paging drones.  Return to Ark.  Ark of Paradise paging drones.  Retu--"  The voice was robotic, soft, and every so often, it sounded as though the audio clip whirred or made some sort of whining sound, the sound warping and warbling every so often like a broken record.  

 

"Drones?"  There didn't seem to be any out, not that Krolia could see.  Oin was busy trying to figure out what the frequency was on.  

 

"This one's so out there...Whatever that thing's paging, it's probably not doing a good job."  

 

"Foreign Craft Detected : Please state your craft ID Pin, and visitor names.  Two passengers detected.  Galra--Mixed Race.  And. Galra--Mixed Race."  The voice on the speakers chimed, a couple lights on the outside of the ship blinked on, as if preparing to open up a gate of some sort, signalling for an opening.  "Please state your craft ID Pin and visitor names.  Two passengers detected."

 

"Should we?"  Oin looked back to Krolia, whom looked to the craft with a bit of a distraught expression.  "The war's over.  There isn't anyone out hunting for us, and if this thing wanted to do us harm, it would have done it by now."   He had a point.  Anything hostile would have made a mood, or shot them right out of the air. 

 

After a moment of deliberation, Krolia let out a breath and spoke.  "Marmora Cruiser Xander Ethos Toma Zero Two Four Nine Six.  I am Krolia of the Blade of Marmora."  The ship blinked once, one more light popping on, as if confirming the identity as she spoke. 

 

"Oin of the Blade of Marmora."   The second light came on, and right before their eyes, a gate opened on the side of the craft, just big enough for their cruiser.  "Woah..." 

 

"Please proceed with caution, and allow one minute for pressure stabilization and gravity pump to reactivate.  Reanimating Ark."  Slowly but surely, as the voice said, Oin pulled the ship in, making sure not to ding the sides.  While the gate had opened, there was still not quite enough room for error when it came to pulling in.  It was a tight squeeze, the tips of the wings almost dinged the walls as the gate behind them closed.  

 

A moment of darkness hung over them, with only the ambient light from their ship glowing below their faces.  There had been only a moment of panic before the lights came on, fixture by fixture.  This place was old. "These almost look like Earth structures..."  Krolia said, looking above at the lights and walls.  "This place... It's ancient by today's standards.  Humans were still probably making poorly wired houses and gas lamps when this was used..."   It almost made her laugh at how outdated the tech was.  

 

"Mm, that would have been the first movement of Laustus.  Sendak had taken Farion."   Oin noted, frowning widely as the cruiser slowly came down to the floor below them, the hissing and whirring of oxygen around the outside of the craft gaining pressure, matching that of the pressure inside.  If things weren't just right, things would get rather messy if things weren't regulated right.  "I don't like all this old tech."

 

"Pressure stabilized.  Oxygen levels at one hundred per cent.  Gravity pump activated.  Gravity set to nine point eight.  Please exit your craft and follow the corridor to the main hall."   And, just like that, more lights in the hall blinked on, a couple at a time blinking out to make a moving strobe effect.  "Please exit your craft."

 

"So far so good."  Krolia breathed.  "If it's stood up this long out here, it's bound to work long enough to figure out what's going on out here."   Popping the top of the cruiser, it didn't take long to grow tired of the system asking them to leave their craft and continue down the hall, running other notifications while they walked. 

 

The whole place seemed to have an off-yellow theme to it, like gold that had faded and lost its luster long ago.  Rather, it looked more like unpolished yellow topaz.  There was all sorts of whooshing sounds as oxygen flooded the halls, and warmed over a bit more.  The system of the craft kept uttering notifications and statistics of some sort, as if it were powering on after a long period of being off.  As Krolia walked in front, Oin was scanning everything he could, trying to get any sort of idea of what this thing was.  "I really don't get it...How did this thing survive a whole damn war like this?" 

 

"It could have been mistaken for space rock.  It wouldn't surprise me."   Only half listening to the two voices in the front of her mind, something in the back of her mind was on high alert.  Something didn't feel right, something was almost...wrong?  

 

"Reanimation process in process.  Biomes Online."  The hall came to an opening in front of them, and slowly but surely, the lights flickered on in front of them.  It looked like a neverending room, with floors and floors of display windows and ornate railings around catwalks that hugged the walls.  Above, the lights were shaped into orbs, moving independently up and down like a lava lamp's ooze.  There were also overgrown trees and all sorts of plant life that was overgrowing the balconies and floating circles of earth for said plants to grow on.  All the plant life that was here...It shouldn't exist.  So many crossed breeds, so many different plants all coexisting together without issue, other than the overgrowth and stuck platforms.  The windows were all dimly lit with light behind the glass, most of them had the same off-yellow glow to them as the lights in the hall.  Others were pale blue, others fogged over to the point where it looked like white Tiffany glass.  It was a mosaic of pastel colors, some yellows, blues, whites and occasional pinks in the mix.  While beautiful and ornate, the feeling of distrust grew within Krolia.  She really didn't like this place.  

 

"What...is this place?"  Oin pulled back his hood and took off his own mask, wide feline eyes slashed with thin pupils. 

 

"This is Ark of Paradise.  An Ark created to preserve life from different planets and universes."  The system replied.  "Created by Unus of Nuun. intended to preserve all life for all to see. There are nine-nine-nine-nine-nine-nine-nine.....error-- specimens in the Ark including Aabus, Aacaa, Aarokocra..."

 

"Krolia, I don't mean to be rude, but this place is just..."

 

"Fucked up?"  She finished, shaking her head.  "You read my mind.   System, is your creator among the others on board?"  

 

"Beshi-- Searching... Unus of Nuun : Status : Deceased.  System Command: Maintain Ark.  Overall System Health : One Hundred Per Cent."  

 

Giving a bit of a defeated sigh, Oin shook his head and looked at his partner, shrugging his shoulders.  "This is bigger than us, Krolia.  We gotta call in help."   

 

"If this is a sanctuary or an 'ark' as the system says, we've at least got to see what all's here.  And figure out how they're all living together.  I know for a fact that Aacaa don't get along with a lot of other races."   Krolia noted, looking for a control panel of some sort.  "Show a list of all races living in the Ark.  Show also last known drone locations." 

 

"Here is a list of all collected races aboard the Ark of Paradise.  Last known drone location : Gallifrey.  Status : Compromised."  

 

"Oh, good luck on getting that one back.  It's almost like wishing Atlantas back to the surface."  Krolia murmured under her breath, watching a scrolling list of races and photo ID's of those that were on board.  Some had dates of when the race itself went extinct, either wiped out by war or famine, or just the fact that they failed to survive.  

 

"Unus specified each subject be the best of their kind.  Given the variety of each race, different selections are made based on DNA and statistics generated by said DNA."  The system explained, showing a couple examples of such a thing.  "Those with the best chance of survival and healthy life spans are selected to be preserved.  Those whom have the optimal DNA but are not in good health are treated and made well."  

 

"How are they all able to live like this?"  Oin asked, frowning at a few variants of Galra that had managed to show up on the list.  "I know that there's certain Galra that wouldn't take kindly to seeing Versi here." 

 

"Memories of those living on the Ark are stored externally.  By moving memories to an external memory, it is easier to convince those living on the Ark to achieve inter-racial harmony.  Thus, eliminating conflict."  Augmenting memories and placing them elsewhere.  A druid from Haggar's coven could do something like that.  They'd done it when the clone of Shiro had been activated, so it wasn't a far leap to make when assuming that perhaps she had picked up a couple ideas somewhere along the way.  "Memories can be unlocked, viewed or and replaced by using the Namet Key and Moneta, the machine used to extract and return said memories."  

 

"Contact Kolivan and report to him what's going on out here.  This is something he needs to see."   Krolia said, closing out the list after saving it for her own use.  "Until then...Continue the processes outlined to you.  Notify me of any issues that may arise."

 

"Error Notifications : There are five notifications on the Ark of Paradise Status Dashboard.  Error : Topiary Planter seven seven one is stuck.  Unable to remove growth manually.  Error : Communication Systems are out of Date.  Please upgrade to Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiii--"  The speaker kept whining and squeaking for a couple moments, both Marmorans looked at each other and frowned widely until Krolia told it to skip to the next notification.  "Error : Human Number Six-four-nine-nine-nine has died of old age.  Searching for a replacement." 

"These sound like old error messages.  I mean...Looking back into the notifications and time stamps, these are from over ten years ago, at least .  Maybe longer if this is as screwy as I think it is."   Oin replied, continuing to look through the listless races that were coming out of their stasis, all in their own little bio-domes.  "We're really gonna have to call Kolivan in on this.  Maybe Voltron, too.  I'm sure Princess Allura will be happy to see calm Mitorans and less hostile Avassians."   Oin snorted, shaking his head as he shut down the holo screen.  "We've got this place pinned on the map, so...would you like to do the honors?"

Krolia gave a curt nod as she opened up communications with the leader of the Blade of Marmora, knowing she'd surely get a voice message sooner or later.  "Kolivan, this is Krolia.  Upon investigating the ship at the coordinates given to us, it's important that you come immediately.  This isn't an ark, and you're going to have to see this for yourself."   

"I honestly don't know what he's gonna say about this, but it's pretty obvious what we've got on our hands."  Oin punched in the coordinates and sent them off after Krolia's transmission, looking back to his cohort with a bit of a pinched expression.  "Just like every other mission we've had this month." 

"You're right.  We're aiding refugees."  She sighed, leaning over the railing at the moving platforms.  "...This is on a bit of a different ethical scale, though.  They might not know that's what they are."  

... ... ... 

Krolia knew at some point what was going on.  When, she didn't know.  Perhaps it was when something laid her down on soft cushions, or when something took gentle care in cleaning her wounds and peeling the damaged flight suit off of her person.  She was safe, that's all she could realize.  Whatever was caring for her didn't mean her any harm.  In fact, in its native tongue, it spoke softly.  Encouraging her to keep still, and to keep holding on, no matter what.  

Food was given, as was water, but she couldn't have known how many days it had been since she crash landed into the shifting desert sands of the blue and green planet that her ship was hurdling closer and closer to that fateful night.  Breathing got easier, and for longer periods of time, she was awake.  Not enough to open her eyes, but enough to listen to her surroundings and feel what was going on.  Soft blankets, cold compresses, warm food that tasted...Well, like the best thing she had eaten in a long time.  

There would be times where all she could do was listen to her caretaker, and it was the only thing that kept her from losing herself.  They'd talk about their job, and what they did.  They worked in the humanitarian field, rescuing people from fires and making sure people were safe in general.  How one day, they had to rescue a child from a bike rack after forcing their head through.  It was...funny, but she still couldn't muster up much of a laugh but perhaps a smile on her lips told them all they needed to know.  

It was on the tenth day, that she found the will to open her eyes.  Her body was sore, but everything was working, as far as she understood.  Slowly moving her fingertips, then here hands and arms, smoothing her hair out of her face.  From her arms, to her torso, she slowly sat up, groaning as muscles moved under her skin, protesting and praising her for the movement they so desired.  

It took a few tries to get her eyes to open.  She fought the sleep that clung to her lids, slowly, the world around her came into view.  Blurry at first, the colors were all warm, with sun-washed walls with printed wallpaper and wood trim, wood floors with maybe a little dust around the edges, and simple furniture, most of which was worn out.  An old television sat on a coffee table against the wall, and a shelf held old DVD's and VHS cassettes, most of which were either action or science fiction movies.  

There was another table to her left, stacked with a couple of books, along with empty bowls and a couple glasses with metal straws sticking out of them.  As simple as it was, there was still some sort of curiosity that made Krolia wonder... what did her caretaker look like?  She didn't quite know what inhabited this planet, let alone what they looked like.  They were intelligent, of course, but... 

A door behind her opened and closed, and a pair of slow and heavy bootsteps hit the floor behind her.  Turning slowly with the blanket draped over her middle, Krolia finally got to see the face of the being that took care of her.  He smelled of smoke and looked rugged, but his eyes were kind.  Dark hair was nearly plastered to his forehead with either sweat or water, and his clothing had a sweat stain down the front, implying that he'd been working out in the elements.  Cotton denim trousers, and work boots, and a strong jaw greeted her all at once.  He was both intimidating, and welcoming.  He was brave enough to pry open her ship and rescue her, but did nothing to give her up to the local authorities.  Strong, yet his heart was soft and his voice...almost like Arusian honey.  She'd only had it once, but the sound was so much like the taste.  

"Looks like you're awake..."   He said softly, slowly putting down the items that smelled so heavily of smoke.  A med bag with yellow reflective tape on it, and a heavy jacket that looked like it needed a wash.  

"Mm..."   Nodding slowly, Krolia was still regaining her functions, but she so desperately wanted to ask questions.  How long was she asleep for?  How many days had it been?  What was the status of her ship?  Were there others?  Gods, she hoped there weren't.  There shouldn't be.  "Mm...Ma..."

"Hey, slow down..."  The human came closer to her, pulling up a wooden chair to sit down in, hesitantly reaching a hand out to touch her shoulder.  It wasn't unwelcomed.  His skin was soft and warm, and it was contact that wasn't painful.  "You got time to get your words out, alright?  Don't push it."  He was sweet.  Even up close with his small imperfections and the like, it made him even more endearing.  "My name is Beau Kogane.  I've been the one taking care of you since you and your ship fell outta the sky."   He explained, and she was hanging on to his words, trying to bring together her own.   He watched as the gears were turning in her, trying to bring forth her own words.

"M...My thanks."  She finally spoke, and it was like a tidal wave of speaking.  The floodgates had broken, and she could finally speak!  "It's not safe here, Beau."   Krolia hated how weak her voice was, and already her arms were having trouble supporting herself.  Her arms trembled and her core ached severely, trying to keep herself upright.  "None of us are safe."

There was a bit of a thick silence that hung in the air between the two, leaving the human in front of her speechless for a moment.  Folding his hands in front of his face, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "You might want to explain what's going on."   Beau said softly, almost as if he were too tired to comprehend.  "You sound like you got a lot to talk about, and I'm sure we got time for that."

 


	2. Chapter 2

T.W.O.

Collection

 

With their numbers slowly climbing, the Blade of Marmora tries their best to spread themselves evenly among the cosmos, but sometimes, there were other things that came into play.  Perhaps it was a distress call from someone for some odd reason; like the Euras and their Equine companion getting stuck in a hole that was much too small for it, or something dangerous, like a famine on Stelles V.  

 

And yet, Kolivan couldn't have expected anything like this.  While perhaps he should have, even as he and a couple others boarded their ship, he could hear the sheer veil of certainty covering up the underlying tone of worry and fear of the unknown in Krolia's voice.  He'd known her for long enough that even the smallest of lies, he knew better.  

 

"I'm sorry to have pulled you away from your time on Earth."  Kolivan finally said, passing the rendezvous point for Keith and the others to meet up.  "I hope that your companions are doing well." 

 

"Everyone's fine.  Hunk's been busy, Pidge has been working on God knows what..."  Keith sighed, getting himself situated in the cockpit of his own craft.  

 

"And Lance?"  Kolivan humored the other, giving a short huff of a laugh as he watched Keith try and think of something to say in regards to his _dear_ 'friend'.  

 

"...We're still close."   With Kolivan being a bit of a father figure to him, and a part-time mentor, he almost didn't want to say anything too intimate about himself.  Sure, there was that lack of professionalism that came with knowing someone for so long, but at the same time, Kolivan _was_ one of the leaders of the group.  He still held power over Keith, no matter how many times he saved the galaxies.   "Is there any new word from Krolia?  How is our party looking?"

"Party's full at ten members, and so far, Krolia and Oin are looking through the database of known survivors on the ship."  There were six others in his group, all sitting in the back of the cruiser with one co-piloting next to him.  If he closed his eyes, he could almost remember the first mission he had gone on like this.  His own mentor had been there, trying to make sure that he could do as he was told.  It wasn't high risk, but being found out wouldn't yield a good outcome.  "Still keeping a lookout to see what's going on.  I still don't trust that place."  

 

"I don't blame you."   Keith sighed, scrolling through the statistics of the Ark of Paradise, slowly shaking his head.  "It's about as ethical as keeping people in zoos."  He knew all too well that the people of Earth had done that before, and it was still just as disgusting as the Ark.  Carnivals, freak shows, 'Human Zoos'...They all exploited people for their differences, and all the things that made them unique and strange.  Like most people, it bothered him to the core.  

 

"It's unfortunate that your race isn't the only one that does this.  There's been plenty of recorded collections across the universe.  Some of the most disturbing have been from the Galra."   Seeing some of them up close as the empire dwindled, he'd almost become a part of a collection.  The blades that once belonged to the former members of his resistance group...they still waited for someone new to pick them up and carry on the wisdom that they held.  Almost being lost to the druid that killed them...He was lucky to be alive.  

 

"You don't say."  It was going to be a long trip if they kept talking about such morbid topics, and with Keith trying to look for another topic, the communication line became stagnate.  Sometimes it stayed like that between them, eventually petering out to another topic that brought the conversation back again.  But this time, it was harder to find something, let alone to move on from what was currently at hand.  "If you had one chance to meet someone that's passed...who would you pick?"  It was uncommon for Keith to ask such a deep question, even though he himself got lost in his own thoughts from time to time.  He must have been eager to talk if he let loose such a question.  

It was a bit startling, to say the least.  Thinking about who he would want to see, and what they would say or talk about...There were too many.  "That's a big question, don't you think?"  Kolivan asked, arching a brow at the other.  

 

"Guess it is, hunh?"   Keith snorted, shrugging his shoulders as he leaned back.  "I'd want to meet one of my ancestors.  Doesn't matter if they're Galra or not.  I'd just want to see if they approve of where I've gone with my life."   That was understandable.  Part of being himself was knowing where he came from and how and why.  Overall, It made sense for Keith to want that.  

Kolivan stayed quiet for a little longer, contemplating his own answer as they glided through the vast openness of space.  "...I'd like to see some of my friends."   He said softly, furrowing his brows.  "Antok being one of them."  Ulaz and Thace came to mind, but he wouldn't want to pull one away from the other, wherever they were.  They were inseparable, after all.  Antok had been one of his closest companions, right next to Krolia, whom he saw as a 'sister' figure in his life.  Always trying to keep her out of trouble and keeping each other in check.  "We'll all meet each other properly when our time comes to an end."   Kolivan sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.  "We'll have more than enough time to talk and ask questions, won't we?"  

 

The answer was a bit morbid in a sense, but at the same time, it answered his question.  'We'll just wait and see'.  "Yeah..."   Keith nodded, looking more into the information being sent by the Ark to Kolivan and the others as they ventured deeper into space.  "I really hope everyone's alright.  Adjusting to the universe after all of this...it might be a bit difficult."  The first time they met Allura came to mind.  When she figured out she was one of the last Alteans when she first came out of her stasis, it absolutely crushed her.  Knowing that her father was gone and her planet destroyed...One could only imagine how it would be for others on a larger scale.  

 

... ... ...

 

"Your human courting seems a bit unconventional, but...I suppose they work."  Krolia wasn't sure of many things when it came to living on Earth.  The humans, they seemed kind, but they lacked the unity needed to ask for aide in the war.  Not to mention, they didn't have the resources to fight back.  If the Galra came here, they'd surely die.  She wasn't sure of her chances of getting out of a place like this.  With their primitive technology, it would be a miracle if she could make it out of the atmosphere, let alone the solar system.  

 

But...She was certain that a certain human had grown on her.  Laying under cool sheets and against warm skin, she looped one arm around her partner's waist, and in return, he held her close and combed his fingers through her hair.  It had started so strangely.  They were speaking about feelings, and what they thought of each other, and then...It just happened.  

 

It was slow, and...sweet, almost.  Like he was genuinely interested in learning about everything that was essentially her.  She took her time with him as well, finding that his soft sounds and the look on his face when she did something good for him were her favorite. Well...next to the stubble he gained when he didn't shave in the morning, and the way he smelled after working in his shop.  There was something about it that she couldn't put her finger on.  

 

"Nothing about this is conventional, you know."  Pressing a couple kisses into her skin, Beau lingered there for a moment, taking a deep breath to try and remember what her skin smelled like.  The phrase was strange to say, but it held a bit of sincerity.  She was sweet, but something sharp cut through the perfume-like smell she gave off, almost like a hearty musk that mingled with her sweet notes.  Strong and feminine.  "You got quite a lot of endurance."  

"Stamina is important.  Not just for mating."  Krolia replied, tracing her fingers up his chest with her free hand, tempted to try and start another round.  "This...isn't just sexual, is it?"  

 

"What do you mean?"  He knew exactly what she meant, but he himself needed that confirmation that this wasn't just some sort of carnal desire and nothing more.  Beau knew his feelings well enough that what he felt was true.  He just needed to make sure that... 

 

Slowly moving herself up into a half sitting position, she looked down at him, smoothing his hair back.  "I mean it as you have emotions for me, don't you?"  She lifted a brow at the other, tilting her head ever so slightly.  "It's not hard to tell.  You're easy to read, Beau Kogane."  

 

Beau only laughed, leaning into her touch as she called him out, smiling with his eyes as he looked up at her.  "I know you wouldn't let me this close if you didn't like me back."  He had a point, and Krolia knew it.  As much as she hated to say it, she was smitten.  Caught up in that feeling she'd been missing for so long.  She had a chance to take things slowly.  This was a break she wasn't sure she'd ever have.  And...It was a dangerous one as well.  It was a truce she was holding on to with bated breath.  "I'll say it, though."  

 

"Say what?"  

 

"I love you, Krolia."   The way she looked at him was like she didn't understand what he was saying for a moment.  Like the processors were slowly booting up, scrambling to find the meanings behind the words.   "I mean it, I really do.  I love you."  

 

"I heard you the first time, I..."  She shook her head, leaning back a bit, untangling his hands from her person, fully aware she was on full display.  "You realize what you're saying though, right?  You know I can't stay with you forever, Beau."   Krolia stated, watching as he shifted in bed, propping himself up with one arm.  "Whatever happens, I still have to return to what I've left behind, and if they show up here, I'm going to have to fight."  

"Then let me fight with you."  He knew the risks, and the way they talked about it with the cork board in the office...he knew the risks and all the issues that might happen if he worked alongside her.  "I want to help.  I know the costs, the risks, and what may happen, but...I want to help you help the universe."  Beau said softly, bringing himself upright to reach out and take her hands in his.  "So are you gonna teach me how to fight so I've got a chance against your friends out there?"  

 

She couldn't help but to snort, thinking about someone like him--so small and noodly compared to most Galra Generals--fighting and surviving for so long.  "I'll see what I can do to help you, but...You've got to work on your stamina.  If you can't last very long, you'll never survive."   

 

The way she smiled like that, it almost etched itself into his brain.   In the days that passed after she left to return to her war, he thought about her every time he looked down at what she left behind.  That small thing, so precious and strong.  Dark hair like his father, and her sharp features that showed up even under that chubby baby fat that infants had when they first greeted the world.  

He could see it on his little face.  That wide grin that he wore when they rode on his bike, and when Beau pulled out his phone to take pictures at different events they went to.  He didn't know that it would take hold in him when he said it, but he always told Keith... 

 

_"You got your mama's smile."_

... ... ... 

 

"I really don't understand how this thing is still running."   Oin was still messing with the system, trying to get the different machines up and running.  Some of them were missing parts, others were fully destroyed and would need compatible replacements.  Which...would be impossible knowing that their technology would be far too advanced for...this...  "What the hell is this Win-dos...Operating system?  And what the hell is Micro Soft?  The hell does this mean?"  

  
"Windows.  Microsoft is the brand."   Krolia sighed, rolling her eyes a bit as she got up from her part of the computer she was working on.  "We'll have to see if we can't contact the Garrison and see if Pidge can help us out.  They're on New Olkarion as we speak."   Krolia looked over Oin's shoulder and pulled out what looked like a blade fragment with her fingers.  "Someone didn't want this place running anymore..." 

 

"Too bad they missed the key components.  But...The memory machines are offline."   Pulling out one of the offline pieces, Oin looked over the little trinket, tilting his head.  "It's crazy you can fit so much on this.  The system is so old, but this...This is pretty impressive."  

 

"It was probably cobbled together over time."  Looking through the slowly updating list of subjects aboard the Ark, they were starting to get down to the bottom of the list.  She hadn't seen any humans on the list yet, but they could have been under another subcategory.  "If they have the Chameleon Circuits and the DT Gear online for the living areas...I'd say they've been busy."

 

"I mean...They had to have had a couple Gallifreyans work on this."  Oin looked up from the little memory chit, shrugging his shoulders.  "Wouldn't surprise me if they had a dimensional wormhole generator in here.  Or at least one of the Boshane.  That would explain a lot."   Oin shrugged, tossing the chit back into the compartment they had been stored in.  "Krolia, this place is an ethical grey zone.  You got everything here, but it's just..."  

 

"Fucked up?"   She huffed, arching a brow at her partner.  "To put it lightly, yeah."   Scrolling through the list of races and looking over the planets next to the names, something caught her eye.  A familiar blue and green orb with whispy white clouds that swirled over the blue expanse.  _'Planet Name : Gaia / Terra / Earth.  | Occupants from Gaia : 20.  Optimal Gene pool reached.  Subjects in Incubation : 10'_ "Humans..."  Krolia almost instantly went to look at the names and faces of those on the Ark.  Something inside her seemed to know something wasn't right here.  

 

The names and faces were all different, organized by age, name, dates... it wasn't until she found a face that was familiar.  Oin seemed to sense that something was wrong, looking at Krolia with deep concern as she stared at the picture on the holo screen.  "Krolia...?"  

_'Kogane, B. Aged : 40 | Date Extracted : November 19, 21xx | Status : In CryoStasis_

"Beau..."  She nearly whispered, her eyes wide and brimming with tears.  She was in shock.  She couldn't believe this.  All these years, she felt as though he was alive, just _waiting_ for her, then finding out that he wasn't on Earth any more.  Somehow, he was here.  He was alive and well, and...God, he hadn't even changed.  "Oin, him.  Bring him out of stasis."   Krolia demanded, flipping the screen over to show him.  

Oin scooted back, trying to get a decent look at the screen before looking back at his cohort.  "Krolia, I can't override the system's protocols--We're only on the 'C' races, and he's all the way in 'G'.  I mean...the best I can do is try and edit the queue and get him out sooner for y--"  

 

"Do it.  Don't explain, do it."   She snapped, copying down the location of the cells where the Gaia race was being held.  She couldn't remember how long it had been since her heart had been this far into her throat.  She could feel blood pumping in her ears, and her stomach was sinking lower and lower for some reason.  Her feet thudded against the metal catwalk, and down stairs as she nearly vaulted herself down the metal platforms.  

 

The stasis pods were just as old as the rest of the Ark, and most of the beings within them were curled up in their most comfortable positions.  They adjusted to the being inside, so some were laid on their sides, as they could sleep like they were in a bed of sorts.  Some stood upright, others curled up tight in a ball like the Armadillian race of Saheres.  _Gaabish, Gaebol, Gaffrin, Gagglon, Gahena, Gaia._ The sliding door to the stasis quad opened, blue light basking everything in a soft and cool feeling.  Although, Krolia wasn't feeling that serenity that everything else seemed to be in.  

 

Humans were all in their single pods, most of them were faces she didn't recognize, and some didn't even _have_ faces yet.  Small beings, slowly being developed and monitored, fed through tubing and fitted with a faux placenta and a sort of uterus to develop and grow, not knowing that foreign eyes could watch them.  Looking through the faces and forms of them all, it almost made her sick.  So many people had been stolen, most of them from different times and places, all being held together because of some...monstrosity had the idea to collect them like toys.  Some of them had been in for so long that the glass had been fogged over, and the dates on the pods were flickering out.  Others were newer, as they were 'in development'.  

 

Oin's voice chimed in over the communication device in her ear, a bit distorted, but otherwise audible.  _"Alright, I'm....-vating stasis for pod 34-B.  Ju--"_ "Thirty four B, got it."   Most of the pods were empty, some still having remnants of prior visitors inside, others moved to different pods after malfunctions.   It wasn't until she heard the hiss and cold breeze of a pod opening that she knew where to go.  The cool vapor cloud still hung in the air as she rushed towards it, just in time to see him.  

His skin was perfect.  Unmarred, unblemished, almost like he'd been untouched by time.  He should have been grey by now, an old man.  But...he still looked like he did the day she met him.  Well, maybe a little more refined by a few years, but otherwise...Perfect.  She watched as he opened his eyes slowly, blinking a couple times to clear the sleep from his eyes.  Slowly raising himself upright, the human man rubbed at his face, unflinching as a small silver chain around his neck dangled down his front, a little charm with a pink stone in the middle shimmered softly.  Unaware that someone was watching him wake, the man almost startled when he looked to the eyes he felt upon him.  

She was crying.  This...person in front of him was _crying._    He didn't know why or who she was, but... Something wasn't right.  Were they happy tears?  Sad tears?  God, he didn't know.  Clearing his throat gently, his still groggy mind was useless in processing what was going on.  He had no memory to speak of, only that of being laid to rest and a strange calm that washed over him moments before.  He knew his name, and that was about all he knew besides simple things like speaking and the like.  

 

The air was stiff and almost stale as they looked at each other.  The man furrowed his brows and looked up at the woman in front of him, watching the tears roll down her face.  There was something in his chest that stirred just looking at her, but that feeling faded as he spoke.  

 

"Who are you?"


End file.
